Symmetry in Black
Crowbar · 2014
48 min · 12 tracks · sludge metal
Heavy, brooding riffs intertwine with guttural vocals, creating an atmosphere of despair and introspection characteristic of sludge metal.
Top tracks — play these first
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Walk With Knowledge Wisely — The opening track sets a powerful tone for the album with its crushing riffs and poignant lyrics that reflect on wisdom amidst struggle.
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Ageless Decay — This track exemplifies Crowbar's signature sound through its slow tempo and heavy instrumentation, delivering themes of existential dread with impactful lyrical imagery.
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Symbolic Suicide — With its haunting melody and intense emotional delivery, this song captures the essence of the album's exploration of suffering and personal turmoil.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases strong songwriting and production while maintaining a cohesive sludge metal sound.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features tracks that consistently employ heavy, downtuned guitar riffs and aggressive drumming, maintaining a relentless pace.
- Several tracks include tempo shifts that create a sense of tension and release, particularly noticeable in 'Ageless Decay' where the pace slows dramatically before building back up.
- Guttural vocals dominate throughout, with lyrics often exploring themes of despair and introspection, enhancing the overall dark atmosphere.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- brooding atmosphere of despair
- cathartic release of tension
- steady pacing with heavy riffs
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of upbeat energy
- prefer light and cheerful themes
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on January 1, 2014, 'Symmetry in Black' marked Crowbar's tenth studio album and came six years after their previous release, 'Sever the Wicked Hand.' By this time, the band was solidifying its status within the sludge metal scene, showcasing a matured sound while continuing to explore dark thematic content.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Down· Eyehategod· Acid Bath
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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The Piety of Self-Loathing
A significant shift occurs when the lyrics directly confront feelings of worthlessness, breaking away from abstract notions to address personal accountability.
This direct confrontation deepens the emotional weight of the track, moving beyond mere lamentation to challenge self-perception.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Walk With Knowledge Wisely 5:21
- 2 Symmetry in White 4:08
- 3 The Taste of Dying 3:12
- 4 Reflection of Deceit 5:00
- 5 Ageless Decay 3:40
- 6 Amaranthine 2:46
- 7 The Foreboding 4:13
- 8 Shaman of Belief 3:38
- 9 Teach the Blind to See 3:41
- 10 A Wealth of Empathy 4:08
- 11 Symbolic Suicide 4:21
- 12 The Piety of Self-Loathing 3:56
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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